Rewritten
by Deltra 307
Summary: Firestar, tired of his life as Thunderclan's leader, wishes he was a kittypet once more. He has no idea what kind of trouble he's gotten himself into... Full summary inside.
1. Prologue: Into the Nightmare

**Yep, another story! I guess I'm trying to make up for not updating for a long time. I'm sorry if this isn't very good. My mom was watching Ghost Whisperer while I was typing this up, so I was kinda distracted. I love that show.**

**Well, here's the chapter! Enjoy and don't forget to review!**

_**When Firestar's word starts to fall apart around him, he can't help but wish to go back to those days as a kittypet. But when Starclan grants his wish, nothing is as he imagined. Smudge is a warrior, Tigerstar is leader, Ravenpaw never left, and worst of all, Sandstorm doesn't even know who he is! Can Firestar ever get back to his old life? Or will he be stuck in this alternate world forever?**_

Firestar hunched over his nest wordlessly. The past few moons had been hard on the ginger leader. The other clans saw them as weak and were unleashing more attacks on the clan then ever. Warriors were dieing. The medicine cat and apprentices were exausted. His clan was going against his words. Even his mate, Sandstorm, didn't seem to love him anymore.

The leader sighed. Before he'd joined Thunderclan, he'd been a kittypet, a cat who lived with humans. Sometimes he remembered his sweet memories of those days, but then pushed them aside at the thought of his new life as the Thunderclan leader. Never once had he longed to go back.

But his whole world was falling apart around him. He couldn't even remember how it felt to be a true warrior, respected and brave...

He looked at the moon through the entrance to his den.

"I just wish I had never left my housefolk..." he muttered, wondering if Starclan could hear him. "I wish I'd never entered the forest at all..."

His jaws parted into a large yawn and he curled up in his nest. It wasn't long before sleep washed over him.

Suddenly, a blue-gray she-cat appeared, her pelted covered in starlight.

"Well, well, well..." she said to herself, her voice filled with authority as though she was the leader of the clan herself. "What do we have here? Having regrets, Firestar? That's not like you. Aw, well. Maybe I should show you why the clan is better with you here..."

* * *

Bright light filtered Firestar's den. The tom woke up, the light shining in his eyes and got to his paws, licking a paw and beginning to wash himself. He stopped almost instantly as he took in his surroundings.

A twoleg nest.

His eyes widened in terror. What was he doing here? Had twolegs kiddnapped him? He had to get back to his clan before they missed him. He leaped up onto a hard, flat twoleg thing. It was hard like stone, but so smooth there was no way it was.

"A window!" he whispered. "Perfect! I'll be out in-"

He was cut off as two slender hands wrapped themselves around him. He turned and stared directly at the face of a twoleg.

They said something that he couldn't understand, pressed his body gently against their own, and carried him away from his one chance at freedom.

The ginger tom tried to wiggle out of their grasp, but it was no use. He was trapped.

* * *

Firestar waited until all of the lights of the twoleg nest were shut off before slinking out of his bed. These were his old housefolk, alright. But how did he get here? And what had they done with Hattie?

He was also much more... plump. He was fatter then he was as a warrior. A _lot_ fatter.

Once he was sure his housefolk were asleep, he leapt back onto the stone like structure, pushed open the window, and squeezed through the passage he'd opened.

He stared out at the forest, untouched and beautiful. So the twolegs hadn't destroyed it yet. Good. He didn't want to have to travel through the mountains once more in order to find his clanmates.

Just as he was about to enter the forest, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Rusty? Rusty, is that you?"

Firestar widened his eyes in suprise as he saw Smudge coming out of the forest. Wasn't he the one who thought it was dangerous to go there?

"Hi Smudge."

"I haven't heard that name in a long time," the kittypet awnsered. Firestar raised his eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"What do you mean 'I haven't heard that name in a long time'?"

"Don't you remember? I went and joined the clans."

"_What_? Weren't you the one who thought the forest was a dangerous place?"

"You were the one who said that, not me," he awnsered. "Anyways, you can call me Shadewhisker." Shadewhisker puffed out his chest in pride.

"Shadewhisker? What are you talking about? Don't pretend like _your_ the warrior. I have to get going. My clan needs me." Firestar started to walk towards the forest, but Shadewhisker blocked his path.

"No way, Rusty. If I let you by, you'll be trespassing on Thunderclan land. I don't want to have to fight my former best friend."

"What are you talking about? Why would I be trespassing on my own land?"

Another voice sounded from behind the black and white tom. "What's going on here?" The new voice was cold with a hint of growl to it.

"Nothing, Darkstripe," Shadewhisker called over his shoulder as a gray tabby tom appeared behind him. "I just found a kittypet about to cross the boarder."

Darkstripe bared his teeth. "Great. More kittypet scum. Why don't you scurry back to your precious twolegs?"

Firestar gasped. Darkstripe was dead! So... how? "How can you be here? Graystripe killed you!"

"What?" Darkstripe spat. "Why would Graystripe kill his own deputy?"

Now, he was really confused. "I never chose you to be deputy! Brambleclaw is!"

"What do you mean, Rusty? Why would you chose a deputy? Your not leader." It was Shadewhisker who spoke.

"Then who is?"

"Tigerstar."

Firestar froze. Tigerstar was leader of Thunderclan? That meant that he had succeded to kill Bluestar. That meant that he wasn't there to stop his plans. That meant that he had never come to forest.

He'd gotten his wish. He wasn't leader anymore. He wasn't _Firestar_ anymore.

He was a kittypet.

**Hope you enjoyed! First reviewer gets a Firestar plushie!**


	2. Chapter 1: Into the Forest

**Into the Forest**

There he was again. He couldn't remember how many days and nights he'd spent there, watching the forest so intesly as if he were waiting for it to sprout legs and walk away. He _had_ to get back to his clan-perhaps the awnsers to his problem lay there. But with Tigerstar in rule, he knew there was almost no possible way that he'd be accepted into Thunderclan.

"What have I done to myself?" he thought, digging his claws into the fence. Splinters of wood dug into pads as he did so, but he ignored the pain.

_I wonder what Sandstorm is doing right about now..._ he thought. The thought made him long to go home more then ever. It had been eating him alive ever since two days ago when he'd first discovered the parallel world he'd gotten himself into.

He bunched up his muscles, preparing to leap off the fence. He didn't care who was in charge of Thunderclan. He was going there, even if he had the entire clan digging into his pelt when he got into the camp.

"Where are you going?"

Firest-no, _Rusty_- closed his eyes and let out a groan. He didn't have to turn and look to know it was Hattie. She had been adopted by twolegs after all. Just not_ his_ towlegs. She was Shadewhisker's replacement.

"Stretching," he lied.

She giggled and leapt onto the fence beside him. "Sure you are," she said sarcastically. "And I'm a flying hedgehog! You were trying to go into the forest again, weren't you?"

_She saw through my lie-again!_

"Er... Maybe...?"

"Your housefolk would miss you, Rusty! And after taking care of you so well!"

He stared at his chubby form. Refusing to eat much and running around the twoleg garden until his lungs were about to burst hadn't seemed to help. Rusty wanted to say, _'Yeah, they're taking care of me _so_ well!_ but he bit his tongue. He didn't want to insult the she-cat.

"Your right..." the ginger tom said. Another lie. "But, the forest looks so... so _beautiful,_ you know? It almost looks like the sun over the horizon."

Did he really just say that?

_I'm going mad, cooped up in there! I don't even know what I'm saying anymore!_

"Yeah, it kinda does." Typical kittypet. As mousebrained as a newborn kit. "But, still..."

Was that a hint of uncertainty in her mew? _I think it was..._

"But don't you think life would be so much better in the forest? You wouldn't sit around all day, bored to death. You'd have a purpose-hunting for your friends and family, fighting for what's rightfully yours... And nothing tastes anywhere _near_ as good as a freshly killed mouse."

"You sound like you've been there already."

"I have." Silence.

_There I go, running my mouth again! I'm just as mousebrained as she is!_

"But... What...?"

"I-I mean... I dream about it, and... and..."

"Oh, I get it! You just_ think_ that's what it's like!" The brown she-cat had a look of such certainty on her face that he didn't bother correcting her. _Let her believes what she wants. Perhaps I might have someone to go into the forest with._

"I've heard other cats who've been there talk about living like that for a bit. They said it was great! I'm thinking about going myself... Would you like to come with me?"

"And eat live _animals?_ Ew, gross! How can anyone want to live like that?" The smile Rusty had across his face faded into a frown at Hatties words. "And I already told you-I love my housefolk and they love me. I'm as happy as I can be."

"As happy as a kittypet can be!" he growled.

"_Excuse_ me? What did you call me?"

"A kittypet. Eating pellets that look like rabbit droppings from your mousebrained twolegs because your to lazy to catch your own prey. I've lived with twolegs for a while, so I can understand a bit, but _really?_ You're kind is so lazy, you hardly lift a paw to do _anything!_"

Maybe that was a bit, well... harsh...

Hattie gasped, and he could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Well... well... I hate you!" With that, she scrambled down the fence and disappeared into the opened door to her twoleg nest.

He felt the gaze of two cats burning into his pelt and he turned to see the two cats in the twoleg garden next to his glaring daggers at him.

"I can explain-"

But they turned their heads away from him and began to stalk away. _Great... You're clan leader, Firestar, not a bully like Darkstripe and Tigerstar. I'll have to make it up to her another time. But now, I need to make a plan._

That night, he was going to return to Thunderclan.


	3. Chapter 2: Into the Wild

**Sorry about the missleading title for the last chapter. Originally, the things that take place in this chapter were going to happen in the last chapter, but the characters just kinda took hold of the wheel, you could say. So, here is the chapter that was going to be chapter 1. Enjoy!**

**And thanks to all my awesome reviewers! You all get Hattie Plushies!**

**Into the Wild**

The sound of small pawsteps sounded throughout a small area of the forest. Many moons of training would let a cat even many foxlengths away be able to detect this small sound. Unfortunately, here, Rusty didn't _have_ this kind of training.

The ginger tom was wandering around, completely and utterly lost.

_Please, Starclan! If you can hear me, get me out of this mess!_

Almost on cue, a familiar scent filled the path that the tom was on. His eyes widened. "Spottedleaf..." But she was nowhere to be seen. Not in a solid body, anyway. He could just barely see the faint outline of his beloved medicine cat.

_"Greetings, Firestar." _Her voice seemed to echo throughout the area like a ghost.

"I haven't heard that name in a while," he said, laughing weakly. "I don't even deserve to be called 'Firestar'."

_"Don't say that. Starclan is watching you, wherever you go. We are worried about you."_

"Then can you tell me where I am?"

Her gentle laugh made him remember his apprentice days, before she'd been killed by Clawface._ "Thunderclan territory. You haven't forgotten what your clan's territory looks like, have you?"_

His ear twitched in irritation. "Everything looks... different."

_"Nothing's change, you know?"_

"Really...? No! That can't be right! I'd know my way around if the forest was the same!"

_"Calm yourself, Firestar. The forest hasn't changed, I assure you. You're the one who has changed. And every one else here."_

"But... No. I can't believe it. Starclan wouldn't do this to me!"

_"You need to understand that your clan needs you, no matter what you go through. That, and that alone, is the reason why your here. You wished that you were a kittypet and Starclan awnsered your wish."_

"My clan doesn't need me," her growled. "I'll prove it to you. When I walk into that camp, nothing will be different. Well, maybe the fact that Tigerstar's leader, Darkstripe is deputy, and Smudge is a warrior, but..."

_"So you _don't_ want to go back?"_

To that, he had no awnser. He didn't want to be a kittypet after being reminded of the empty life he'd lived before becoming an apprentice to Thunderclan, but he didn't want to be leader, either. It was to much for him to handle, expecially with his old age and more and more dangers threatening the clan.

_"Well?"_

He swallowed-hard.

"No."

Though Spottedleaf's form had disappeared long ago, her scent still lingered. It followed him as he stumbled through the forest like a kit who snuck out of camp. He had managed to hide when some of the Thunderclan warriors came close.

There had been two patrols-one with three cats and the other with four-and a cat hunting by themself. Though a few of them were blocked from his view, he had managed to spot three warriors-Mousefur, Dustpelt, and Whitestorm.

He wondered what had become of his friends-had Tigerstar gotten rid of Ravenpaw? What Graystripe living in Riverclan, or was he still in Thunderclan? And what had become of Sandstorm, his closest friend and mate?

Questions swirled around in his head and, not watching where he was going, he found himself bumping into the trunk of a tree.

"Ow..." he muttered, getting to his paws from where he was, just moments ago, laying on the ground. Once the former leader's head cleared, he detected noise-and not just any noise, but _voices._ And not just a few that signaled a patrol, but a whole _clans worth_ of them.

"Its got to be the camp!" he cried quietly. "Now to find the entrance..."

It took a bit longer then the ginger tom had expected to find a way in. Spottedleaf must have been right when she said he'd changed. Or the _forest_ had changed, like he'd said. He almost fell through the entrance when he stumbled once more on his clumsy paws.

After getting to his paws and confirming that this w_as_ the entrance to the camp he prepared to storm into the clearing...

But stopped himself.

"I... need a plan..." he said under his breathe. "Rushing in would be like rushing onto the Thunderpath with a monster racing towards you..."

He took a moment to think-what was he going to say? How was he going to invade the camp? What would he do once inside?

In the distance, he heard the hungry bark of a fox that sent a shiver down his spine. Forgetting to be stealthy like he'd planned, he ran to the place he knew he'd be sheltered most back in his world-his den.

Upon entering the camp, he let out a scared yowl, whipping his head around to look for a place to hide. What if the fox entered camp? Then where would he go? What would he...

_What am I _doing_?_ he screamed at himself silently. _It's a fox, not all three of the other clans chasing after me!_ It was then that he suddenly became aware of eyes staring at him in all directions.

"Intruder!"he heard a familiar voice shout-Darkstripe.

"Wait-no! I'm not-hold on a minute!"

But his words fell on deaf ears as the cats in the clearing raced towards him, claws outstretched and fangs bared. His instincts told him to... run, not fight back. But his new, chubby legs wouldn't carry him as fast as he had hoped to go and he stumbled as a multitude of furry bodies knocked him to the ground.

"Stop this foolishness at once!"

The teeth and claws that had been dug into his fur released their grip on him. Rusty got to his paws and turned his head to where the voice had come from. At first, he just saw the deputy, Darkstripe, but then the black striped tom's leader padded to stand beside him.

"Tigerstar..." he growled in a hushed voice.

"What's going on here?" the large brown tabby demanded, starring at him through narrowed eyes.

One of the warriors opened their mouth to speak but Rusty stodd forward and began his thought out speech.

"Greetings, cats of Thunderclan. I am..." he bit his tongue as he almost said Rusty, his kittypet name. No, he'd go by his true name. "I am Fireheart,"he finished.

"How do you know us? Your collar obviously shows that you are a kittypet. And why do you have a warrior name?"

"I've known about the clans for a long time, actually. I am, no, _was_ a kittypet but came here to see if you would except me into your clan. And my names orgin is of no business to you."

"A kittypet? Wanting to join the clan?" said another cat from the crowd around him. "Starclan forbid!" Tigerstar gave them a look that said, 'Quiet or you'll regret it'. They didn't speak up again.

"How do we know that you're not a spy?" he pressed.

He gestered to the belled tied around his neck. "How many spies go around wearing collars like this? It would give their position away."

The dark brown leader said nothing, only stared at the newcomer. "Fire... heart, right?"

"Yes."

"You want to join _my clan_, do you?"

Rusty found it hard to swallow, but managed to anyways. His mouth seemed to be getting dry. "Yes."

More silence. But what Tigerstar said next shocked the cats in the clearing, the ginger tom most of all.

"Then welcome to Thunderclan."

**Well, that was unexpected. But things are only going to get more suprising from here on out. Maybe. Hopefully. Thanks for reading! And all reviewers for this chapter get Spottedleaf Plushies! So...R&R!**


	4. Chapter 3: Into the Clan

**These chapters always look so much longer then they actually are when writting them. Hm. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but here i schapter 3 of Rewritten!**

**Into the Clan**

Rusty stared blankly at the floor of the twoleg nest. Night had fallen a while ago, but the kittypet couldn't seem to fall asleep. So much had happened that day-Tigerstar, _the Tigerstar_, offered him, a _kittypet_, into Thunderclan. But one certain cat insisted that the ginger tabby stay at his twoleg nest and let the Thunderclan leader think the decision over.

Spottedleaf.

She was alive.

His escorts home had been Whitestorm and Longtail and they filled him in on the important details. There had been an attack on Thunderclan, just like before, but Tigerclaw had saved the she-cat's life by killing Clawface. It appeared as though she might have had feelings for the tom, but Spottedleaf strictly followed the code and had always put it before her feelings.

Surprisingly, Longtail hadn't been at all how he'd expected-in fact, the tom was as friendly as Whitestorm. Things were going to have to take some getting used to.

The odd, ticking twoleg thing chimed it's hourly ring and Rusty shifted uncomfortably in his makeshift bedding. It was no moss, that was certain. But just when he was begging to think he was never fall asleep, a black tide washed over him and he fell into deep slumber.

* * *

Rusty awoke to find himself surrounded by trees-just like the old forest. A small pool sat tail lengths away and on the other side was a familiar blue-gray she-cat.

"Bluestar!" he cried happily, racing towards the water's edge. "Am I glad to see you."

But the leader showed no sign at all that she was glad to see her former apprentice.

"Why did you come here?" she growled.

"'Why did _I_ come here'? I thought Starclan sent dreams, not cats chose to show up in them."

"Bluestar, do not be angry," came another voice. "_I'm_ the one that brought him here."

"He's not welcome here, Leafpool, as you know very well," the Thunderclan leader hissed as a brown tabby she-cat sat down beside her. "Why do you insist on bringing him here?"

But the newcomer ignored her and stared intently on Rusty. "Hello... father."

"Hello," he said smiling warmly. He had not seen his daughter since she died saving Jayfeather, one of her sons, from a monster he could not see coming at him. She and Crowfeather's newest kits had been sent to Windclan to live with their father on his orders.

"You didn't anwser me," Bluestar said, tail lashing.

"Firestar has as much right to be here as you or me," Leafpool retorted. "He needs our guidence more then ever now."

"I know you're just doing this because you care, but I'm really fine. Tigerstar's welcomed me into the clan and he didn't seem like he was going to change his mind."

"And why, exactly, would Tigerstar except you, a kittypet, into the clan without a second thought?" Bluestar's eyes were dark as she got to her paws. She began pacing back and forth along the water's edge, her eyes glued to the tom. "Tigerstar is a lying, decieving tom that works alone. If you don't think he had a plan when he let you join, I don't think you paid very good attention when he was living."

"What do you mean?" he asked. But the two she-cat's shapes were beginning to fade.

"Good-bye, father!" his daughter called before he was forced into a world of utter darkness.

* * *

"Welcome back, kittypet slime."

Rusty was greeted with a group of familiar faces. Darkstripe, obviously, was at the head of the group, with Graystripe and Dustpelt behind him. The two tabbys ovbiously were tying not to growl in frustration. But the third, Graystripe, his best friend and partner since the ginger tom's apprenticeship, surprised him beyond belief.

Graystripe had been the one to hiss those four words. Rusty had not seen his frie-er, _former_ friend-when he first entered the camp or even when he departed.

"Graystripe, what's wrong?" he asked, rising an eyebrow.

"Shut it, _kittypet_," the gray cat growled, digging his unsheathed claws into the ground. Rusty flinched at Graystripe's open hostility. Well, he shouldn't have expected anything less. Things had changed around Thunderclan and he had no clue what to expect.

"Shall we get going?" Dustpelt asked the deputy. It was apparent that he was iching to return to the camp. "It'll be sunhigh by the time we get back if we don't hurry.

"Yes, I suppose we should get back." Flicking his tail at the former Thunderclan leader, he said briskly, "Follow us."

The walk back to the camp seemed much longer then he'd anticipated. Perhaps he was just imagining it, but the air seemed to spark with electricity as the four continued onward. Once they entered the camp, things weren't much different. Hostile glares were shot his way and he didn't feel welcome anywhere.

"Welcome, welcome!"

Tigerstar's voice echoed across the clearing from where he sat on the Highrock. Though the dark brown tabby's words were jolly, a sneer stretched across the toms face as he stared down at Rusty.

"You look tired. Why don't you have something to eat and take a quick rest. We'll hold your ceremony at moon high, so be prepared."

Rusty narrowed his eyes, slowly nodded, and began to pad towards the warriors den.

Once inside, the tom had troubles finding a spot to sleep. Only one warrior was curled up in their nest-Frostfur-and everytime he tried to lay down, she'd cry, "That nest's taken!"

"I'll never find a place to lay down..." he grumbled to himself.

"There's a nest over here, if you're look for a spot to lay down," said a new voice. He turned around to see a beautiful, dark gray she-cat laying down in her nest, her bright blue eyes starring at him intently.

It was Cinderpelt.

Rusty felt tears forming in his eyes. One of his greatest friends dreams had simply been to be a warrior and, guessing by where she was laying down, she had acheived that dream. She pulled over an empty nest with no scent of another cat towards her own.

"Here you are. Though I don't believe I've seen you before."

"Er, my name's... Fireheart..."

"That sounds eerily familiar..." she mumbled, staring at the roof of the den in deep thought. He silently slipped into the nest beside hers and made himself comfortable. It felt so much better then the nests at his twoleg nest. "Oh, I remember!" she suddenly called. "Your that kittypet that came yesterday!" For a heartbeat, he thought he saw the slightest bit of a blush appear on her face, but she turned before he could confirm his suspicion. "I... I thought it was brave of you to come into camp, let alone our territory. Most kittypets are to scared to stray even a pawstep over the border.

He left weakly. "Yeah, I guess."

"So, Fireheart," she said, standing up suddenly. "I haven't introduced myself. I'm Cinderpelt. Nice to meet you!"

"Y-your leg..."

She stared at her hind leg. "Yeah? What about it?"

"It's not... wounded..."

"Why would it be?"

Rusty was painfully aware of the awquard silence that hung in the air. "Never mind..." When she said nothing, the ginger tom asked, "What?"

"Well?"

"Oh! Nice to meet you, too." Cinderpelt smiled at him before curling beside him once again.

"You know, kittypet or not, I like you. Oh, and don't listen to the other warriors. Most of 'em are worried about your blood and where you come from. I'm not concerned about any of that." The dark she-cat let out a yawn. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm bushed. I had to go on the dawn patrol _and _a hunting patrol. I'm going to get some shut eye. 'Night."

"Good night," he whispered. He layed down as well and closed his eyes. It wasn't long before he fell into dreams filled of mice and moonlight.

* * *

"By the powers of Starclan, I confirm your name."

The ginger tom shivered with anticipation. With a few words, he would be a true warrior of Thunderclan.

"Fireheart, we now welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan. Mmay Starclan watch over you throughout your days as a warrior."

**Sorry if Cinderpelt was out of character. Mainly, her personality developed from spending so much time with Yellowfang because she couldn't be a warrior. Because Tigerstar didn't need to set a trap on the Thunderpath for Bluestar that Cinderpaw could fall into (I'm guessing, anyways), she could be a warrior and therefore wouldn't have to spend so much time with the medicine cat. Even though Yellowfang is awesome. I suppose I could've used Cinderheart as an example, but both Cinders are pretty much alike personality wise. And I wanted Graystripe to be out of character. R&R!**


	5. Chapter 4: Into the Storm

**Wow. Just... Wow. I got such nice reviews for one of the worst chapters I've ever written-ever. I wrote _left_ instead of _smiled_. _Left and smiled._ The only things that are the same is the 'l', the 'e', and the fact that that they're in past tense. Well, I suppose it could've been worse. But _left_ out of _smiled_... And it wasn't even that late when I was typing... Thank you to all you reviewers. You all get Cinderpelt plushies!**

**Into the Storm**

Ru-no, _Fireheart_, now-shifted uncomfortably in his bedding. He wasn't having nightmares-not even dreams of Starclan. Inf fact, the tom was wide awake, finding it hard to fall into slumber. It seemed like only moments ago when Tigerstar had confirmed his warrior name as Fireheart. He was no longer a kittypet, but a warrior of Thunderclan.

But what happened next?

He was in the clan, he'd made his first friend in this backwards place... Would he be stuck here forever?

Questions swarmed around in his mind, preventing sleep from washing over him. _Starclan, can you hear me now? I need your assistance..._but, much to his dismay, he still didn't fall asleep. He saw now starry pelted warrior lurking around the den or in the camp. Just the furry bodies of his fellow warriors.

"I know you're there," he muttered beneath his breath. "so come out and show yourself."

But there was still no answer.

Once again, she shifted his weight to another part of his bedding when he felt it-a thorn. Blood was already beginning to trickle out of his small wound and, however hard he tried to crane his neck, he couldn't quit reach that sharp object digging into his pelt.

Letting out a sigh, he rose to his paws. _It looks as though I'll have to have the medicine cat pull it out..._

Carefully, he made his way across the den from where he slept in the back and re-entered the camp. It smelled like it always did, back in the day. The lakeside camp had a different, more misty scent then the forest here did. Personally, he preferred the scents that filled his nostrils here over the ones at his new home, but it didn't really matter in the long run.

Even lost in thought, he had not failed to make his way towards Spottedleaf's den. To his relief, no one was being tended to, which meant no one was hurt or sick. Just because he wasn't leader anymore didn't mean he didn't have to act like he wasn't one. He was still worried about his clanmates all the same.

But, much to his dismay, Spottedleaf was sound asleep, her sides slowly rising and falling. The ginger tom stared at his sore pad, let out a sigh, and began to make his way back towards the warriors den.

"What took you so long?" The voice stopped the tom in his tracks. "I thought you wanted my help, but I guess not."

"Yellowfang?" he half said, half gasped. So Starclan _had_ heard him after all! "You sure took your time getting here."

She stared at him, an amused glint in her eye. "Yes, so _I'm_ the slow one." Her tail flicked impatiently. "Well? You called me here, now what do you want?"

Her didn't meet the dark gray she-cats eyes as he spoke. "I-I'm confused."

"About...?"

"Everything! Why is everything so different? Why was Bluestar so angry when Leafpool brought me to Starclan's hunting grounds? Why did Leafpool bring me there in the first place? And most importantly, why did I wake up as a kittypet?"

The she-cat's matted fur bobbed up and down as she shook her head. "Ah, Firestar. So many questions that you know the answers to. It's different for many reasons. People react differently to different situations. Their complete personality can change over one simple thing. Though you may find yourself to be no more then a simple cat that made little differences in your clan, in all actuality, you coming to the forest changed many cats' lives-even those you would have never thought of.

When you didn't come to the forest, who stopped Tigerstar in his plans to kill Bluestar? No one. So Tigerstar achieved his goals in becoming leader of Thunderclan. Graystripe hates kittypets now because Tigerstar forced them to believe that it was former kittypets who caused the death of their leader. Longtail is your friend because, even though he agreed with Tigerstar's decisions before, he began to doubt Tigerstar's loyalties. The list goes on and on."

"But why did Tigerstar accept me into the clan?"

"Don't you know Tigerstar? This is all a game to him. He _knows_ fire will save the clan. He knows _you_ are the fire that will save the clan."

"So he wants me to save Thunderclan?"

"That... will be revealed at a later date. Bluestar wasn't angry about you coming. She was upset because you told Spottedleaf you didn't want to go back. Bluestar knows that you have to return. We all do. But there's a lesson to be learned before you can."

"Then that's a lesson I don't want to learn. They don't need me. My life here will be better."

"So stubborn. On to the next question. Leafpool brought you there to tell you something... Something that you can't know just yet. And, honestly Firestar? You know as well as I do why your in this situation. If you _really _don't know why your hear, just take a moment to think about what happened before this whole mess started."

Fireheart stared at his paws, not about to look at the former Thunderclan medicine cat.

"Mouse got your tongue?" she joked. "Ah well. I must be going." With that, the she-cat turned and began to pad away. She paused suddenly and said a few parting words before she disappeared. "The whole of Starclan is worried about you, you know. Not just the Thunderclan cats, but Shadowclan, Riverclan, and Windclan as well. You better get this all straightened out or I'll _personally_ claw your ears."

"Good-bye, Yellowfang," he called after her, though he doubted she could hear him.

Then, a groggy voice sounded from the medicine cat's den. "Huh...? Who's there?"

"Don't worry, Spottedleaf. It's just me." He paused for a moment before adding, "Fireheart."

The dark tortoiseshell appeared as she exited her den. "Ah, the kittypet," she said, no hint of mockery or claw in her voice. "_Former_ kittypet, I should say."

He felt his heart begin to beat faster. "Uh... yeah..." He was suddenly aware of the throbbing sensation in his side. "Um, I have a... thorn... in my pelt..."

"I see. Let me see if I can pull it out for you." He sat down patiently as she tugged at the sharp object digging into the lower part of his back. The ginger tom suddenly realized something. If the thorn had dug its way into his pelt somewhere else-his paw, for example-he probably wouldn't have had to go to the medicine cat's den in the first place.

_If I didn't go to the medicine cat's den, I wouldn't have met Yellowfang. The thorn must have been a sign of some sort from Starclan!_

"Fireheart? I got the thorn out." The sound of the she-cat's voice snapped him out of his day dream.

"Oh! Thanks..."

"Is there something else you want to talk about?" she asked unexpectedly. "You seem worried about something."

"Actually... yeah..." Could he trust her with the secret that he was actually from an alternate world? No, she'd think he was crazy. But there was no getting out of it now. "Um... how's Sandstorm been doing?"

Spottedleaf raised an eyebrow. "Good, I suppose. She seems happier then usual, though. I can't blame her, though. It's always nice to see young kits grow up to become apprentices. There's one that I think might be the next medicine cat."

"Whose kits? Goldenflower's?"

"Well, yes, but they won't become apprentices for another half moon now."

"Then whose?"

"Hers, who elses?"

"Wait... Sandstorm had kits?" She nodded slowly, confusion apparent in her pretty green eyes. But he took no notice-his world began to swirl around him. If she had kits, there was one of two options. One, she had a mate that wasn't _him_, or she had taken in some kits who were orphaned-or something along those lines. "W-who's her mate?"

"Ravenwing. Why?"

"Wait... Ravenwing... Do you mean... _Ravenpaw?_ Tigerstar's former apprentice?"

"Yes. What other Ravenwings are there?"

"Oh, Starclan," he gasped, suddenly panicking. His forehead felt warm. Abnormally hot. It felt like he was on... well, his namesake. Sandstorm... mates with his best friend who was supposed to have run away or worse-died. "Oh, Starclan, no..."

No wonder he hadn't seen her in the warriors' den. She was a queen! She had given birth to another tom's kits! His _best friend's_ kits!

He dropped to the ground, his paws unable to carry his weight any longer and, before he fell into unconsciousness, he could hear Spottedleaf pleading him to get up.

"Is he ill?"

"I don't know. He looked fine... There was no scent of sickness on him and he doesn't feel any warmer then any normal warrior."

"Is he... dead?"

Fireheart awoke to the sound of two she-cats speaking to one another. He felt warm moss around him. Was he in the warriors den? He had collapsed outside of Spottedleaf's den. Perhaps she had dragged him into the empty nest she always had there.

When he opened his eyes groggily, the first thing he saw was Cinderpelt looking over him with worried eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Spottedleaf open her mouth to say something, but the younger she-cat beat her to it.

"You're awake! I was so worried about! Don't you go dieing on me the day after we become friends."

"What... happened...?" he managed to choke out.

"I was telling you about Sandstorm," Spottedleaf said before the gray she-cat could butt in, "and you dropped to the ground like a squirrel falling out of a tree. What happened? Do you know?"

He _did_ know-he was just to embarrassed to admit it. "No... I must have been sleep deprived, or something." He slowly got to his paws, wobbling a bit before finding his balance.

The she-cat sighed. "Well, I suppose you'll have to stay in here a little longer until I can find out what happened. I don't want the other warriors dropping down like that." To Cinderpelt, she mewed, "Thank you for your concern, but right now, all he needs is some time alone an a bit of rest. You can return to your duties, now."

"Okay," she replied briskly. "But I'll come to check up on you later, Fireheart, alright?"

"I suppose."

"Good-bye!" With that, the dark gray she-cat exited the den.

"Now, I want you tell me what _really_ happened," Spottedleaf growled, twitching her tail. "There are many things you can do, but you can't hide a secret from a medicine cat. Cats just don't faint for no reason at all, and your no exception. A simple 'I don't know' isn't going to work on me."

"I... I need to see Sandstorm, that's all."

"Fine, but I expect you back by sunhigh." He stared at her in shock. "You slept through all of the night." He nodded as an indication that he understood.

"I suppose I have no choice, do I?" the ginger tom said, laughing weakly. He expected at least a 'good-bye', but the she-cat dismissed him with a stern look and a flick of her tail. As he exited the den, he muttered, "Things sure have changed..."

He spotted Tigerstar across the clearing, sharing a mouse with his mate, Goldenflower. He paused, eying him with obvious suspicion, before returning to what he was doing before.

"She's out on a patrol... Of course..." Fireheart let out a sigh of disappointment. It wasn't even sunhigh and this day was already going down hill-fast.

"Why do you need Sandstorm?" Whitestorm asked. The large white tom had been kind enough to take a bit of time to help him out, but Fireheart didn't appreciate questions as such. If he couldn't tell Spottedleaf, his own medicine cat, about the whole scenario he was thrown into, how could he tell a fellow warrior? As much as he trusted him already, he couldn't bring himself to tell Whitestorm about everything that was going.

"I... wanted a bit of hunting lessons from her," he lied. Sandstorm was still the best hunter in the clan... right?

"Well, I suppose if you were going to catch up on hunting skills you missed due to skipping your apprentice moons, she _would_ be the one to go to. Maybe you can talk to her after she gets back."

He sighed again. "Alright..." he mumbled, not meeting the older warrior's eyes. While he waited for Sandstorm's arrival, he had time to kill. "How are your kits?" he asked, recalling that Rainkit, Sootkit, and Sorrelkit would have been born around this time. But, then again, things were different in this place, so that might not have been the best thing to ask.

Fireheart was about to take back his words when his companion replied, "Not to bad. Though I think Sootkit might be coming down with a fever."

"That's to bad. Maybe I could go see if Spottedleaf could check on them for you."

"I think the she-cat your looking for is here." The ginger warrior looked over Whitestorm's shoulder only to see Sandstorm, along with the rest of her patrol, entering camp. When he noticed no one had any prey in their mouths, he assumed that they had been on a border patrol-or prey was not running well in the clan. Once they had split up to separate parts of the camp, Fireheart raced over to the pale ginger she-cat and, unable to keep the words from escaping his mouth, he cried happily, "Sandstorm!"

She whirled around-most likely at the sound of her name. Suddenly, the fur along her back began to bristle and she growled, "Who are you?"

**Okay, I'm trying to do all of three things: first, to have every chapter named 'Into the [insert word(s) here]'; second, to have a Starclan cat appear in every chapter; and third, to get at least five reviews on every chapter. And that's where you guys come in.**

**Got a name for a possible chapter? Have a Starclan cat in mind that you think should appear in upcoming chapters? And, finally, feel like helping a little girl achieve her dreams of world domination? XD No, I'm not a little girl (though I _am_ a girl) and I don't want world domination. But, if you want to do the two _other_ things, leave 'em in a review and you might just see them in another chapter.**

**The part where Yellowfang said something about how people react to different situations was inspired by my good friend Amber Lehcar. Go check out her stuff-it's not Warriors, but her stories are really good. And, that reminds me! I don't own Warriors and I highly doubt I ever will. I hope you all enjoyed! R&R!**


	6. Chapter 5: Into the Fire

**I might be accepting OCs later. Maybe. MAYBE.**

**Plushie distributions:**

**If you reviewed Chapter 3: Into the Clan, you get a Leafpool Plushie!**

**If you reviewed Chapter 4: Into the Storm, you get a Spottedleaf Plushie!**

**If you review this chapter, Chapter 5: Into the Fire, you get a Sandstorm Plushie!**

**Into the Fire**

"Who are you?"

He should have expected this. Those three little words. He'd heard it so much lately, having to reintroduced to cats he had known so well at one time. These cats... Cats he had befriended, trusted, and mistrusted. And, in some cases, led.

But they never hurt like this.

He knew this would happen. What, was Starclan going to make her the exception? She had a mate and kits, so why would he expect that, somewhere deep inside her, she still knew him? Still _loved_ him?

No.

She was no different then all the rest.

"Can you hear me? _Who are you?_"

The sound of irritation in Sandstorm's voice snapped him back to reality and he stared at her blankly.

"Well?"

"F-Fireheart..." he managed to choke stupidly.

Her eyes narrowed and she slowly began to pad in a circle around him. "Ah, yes. The mouse-brained kittypet who thought he could take _our_ place among these cats." The pale ginger she-cat bared her teeth. "Your foolish if you think you can show up out of no where and be as great as us. We earned our warrior names, over and over, while all you had to do was walk a little ways and ask Tigerstar if you could be a warrior. We are _true_ warriors. You? You're just another soft mouth to feed."

Fireheart was at a loss for words. All he could do was stare in shock at the she-cat.

She paused, before looking away to hide her smirk. "I knew it. You don't even have _bees _for brains. Whatever. Go on with your silly little life. Just leave _true_ warriors like myself alone." With that, she stalked away, her tail still fluffed up.

He felt his jaw drop a bit and didn't even bother to close it. Was this really how she used to act? Before the two fell in love? He couldn't remember. He'd grown so used to the she-cat who was cool headed and loved him with all her heart. But this could have been an alternate personality as well.

"Ouch."

The ginger tom's head snapped upward at the sound of a voice he had not heard in what seemed like forever.

"You weren't planning to confess your love to her, were you?" Rainwhisker asked, a teasing tone in his voice. "That wouldn't have been good."

"Rainwhisker!" her called, whirling around to look at the dark gray tom. "I haven't seen you since the-"

"The incedent with the branch? Yeah. And that storm didn't even come that long after Sootfur's death." For a heartbeat, he could see a hint of sadness in the eyes of the Starclan warrior, but Rainwhisker must have noticed, for he looked away. "But that's not why I'm here.

"Why a_re_ you?" _I didn't ask for their assistance, yet they came anyways? Yellowfang must have been right. Starclan_ is_ really worried about me..._

"Why am I here? I've got some advise."

"A prophecy?"

"A prophecy?" He laughed. "Do you think that we Starclan cats have to always give advise in prophecies? Nah, I'm going to spare you the frustration of deciphering one of those things. Instead, I'm going to give it to you straight."

"So..."

"Don't rush things. Take them slow."

Fireheart raised his eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean, 'don't rush things'?"

"There'll be a time where it's okay to tell those around you certain things. Think about it-if you told Sandstorm at that moment that you loved her and you were from an alternate forest, what would she do? Get as far away from you as possible as she could and stay there. And if you told Spottedleaf? Why, she'd think your mad."

"I'm not mad!"

"Yes, but they don't know that," he pointed out. "So take things slow-things will be better off in the end for you."

The young warrior smiled at him before slowly vanishing into thin air.

The tom had good advise, the ginger tom admitted. But he didn't want Sandstorm hating him for the next thirty seasons. He wanted her affection _now_. Once again, he began to long to go home with his friends and family.

_No!_ he screamed at himself, vigorously shaking his head. _They don't need you! Your better off here!_ He closed his eyes, blocking out all thoughts and sounds for a moment before padding towards the medicine cat's den for his sun high check up.

"Well, I see nothing wrong with you," Spottedleaf muttered, looking Fireheart over one more time. "But I know you didn't just flop over for no reason. I'll get the truth out of you soon enough."

"Spottedleaf..." he mewed so quietly that he was afraid she didn't hear him.

"Hm?"

"Do you... like me? I mean, friend wise?"

She hesitated, probably thinking about how she would answer. "I don't know. You've only been here a couple of days. And I haven't seen you most of the time you were here."

"Is that a no?"

"It's a maybe."

His mind dragged to the previous night. Her telling him about Sandstorm, him fainting, the thorn... Yellowfangs appearence. "Do you know the Shadowclan cat Yellowfang?"

"Yes," the tortoiseshell replied briskly.

"How has she been?"

She looked at him with tired eyes. "How should I know, Fireheart? She's in a completely different clan then we are. In addition, I haven't seen her since Brokenstar drove her out."

"Oh... okay..."

She turned around and stared at the wall. "How do you know her?"

"Yellowfang?"

"Yes. How do you know her?"

"I've... heard of her..."

She sighed and began to pace around the den. "The night you came to my den, I had a dream where Yellowfang came to me. But I thought the she-cat was alive and it confused me ever so. She told me that you know something after I pressed her to tell me what was on her mind, but she told me no more. I know your lieing. I'm your medicine cat-you can tell me anything."

"If Starclan doesn't want you to know, then I don't think I should tell you."

"Fireheart, _please!_ I'm worried about my clan! I think we're on the brink of war, and you might know something that can help us!"

"War? Against who?"

"Windclan," she breathed. "Tallstar's patrols are coming deeper and deeper into our territory. They're stealing more prey then ever. And he's shown that he's ready to fight at any moment at the past few gatherings."

"Tallstar? Picking fights? With _Thunderclan?_" He had to admit, he was _not_ expecting that.

She nodded. "He's been like that since Bluestar became leader." Though he could not see her eyes, he could feel sadness radiating from her pelt. She must have been remembering something. The death of a brave, kind leader? Or the suffering an evil tyrant caused?

"Was she a good leader?" he asked, feeling the words fall from his tongue without any thought. "Bluestar?"

Once again, she paused. "Yes; yes, she was."

Inwardly he let out a sigh of relief.

"Fine. Stay quiet. But do that in _your_ den, not mine." The flame colored tom wondered if she was talking about the secrets he was keeping when she flicked her tail in dismissal. So Tallstar was an equivellent to the Shadowclan he knew and Bluestar hadn't changed, by the sound of it.

But why the Spottedleaf hesitated? Was she keeping secrets of her own?

Fireheart took another bite out of his vole. He had made three friends, so far-two of which were sitting beside him, chewing on their own fresh kill.

"I'm glad your okay," Cinderpelt chirped once she had swallowed another mouthful of a black bird.

Longtail, who sat on the other side of him nodded, eating more slowly. "We wouldn't want sickness running around the camp," he added.

The younger tom felt himself turn red beneath his pelt. this talk was reminding him of the events that had occured the previous night-things that he felt were better left untalked about.

The gray she-cat stared at him with a questioning look. "Are you all right?" Playfully, she joked, "You're not going to fall over again, are you?"

He simply shook his head and, pushing the remains of his vole away, got to his paws. "I think Darkstripe's organising patrols over there. I'm going to go see if I can go on a patrol. It feels like I've been sitting around camp all day. Want to come along?"

Longtail shrugged. "I think I'll pass."

As the ginger tom's eyes swept toward Cinderpelt, she swallowed the last bite of her bird and got to her paws. "Sure, why not?"

The two padded over to where the deputy was barking orders. But his mind wasn't on patrols, in all actuallity, but on what had happened that day. He had finally met Sandstorm-well, in this weird world, anyway-but she seemed to hate him. Rainwhisker had come to him and had given him some advise that he didn't think he really needed. And Spottedleaf? Something was definately going on that he didn't know about. She wouldn't be able to pry the truth out of him, but he was certain he could to her.

Suddenly, he stopped, turned, and slowly padded away from where Cinderpelt sat.

"Wait, Fireheart!" she called after him, getting to her paws. "Where are you going?"

But the tom wasn't listening. "Um... hi..." he muttered to another cat. The many scars that criss-crossed across this new cat's pelt didn't make him any less, well, handsom. Fireheart knew who they were, but only half believed it was them.

"Huh?" The dark furred cat turned around to look at him. "Oh! You're the newcomer, aren't you? I haven't introduced myself have I?" they asked, oblivioius to the cat behind them fuming because they turned their attention away from them. "I'm Ravenwing."

**Yeah, I honestly didn't know where to cut off but I wanted to put this chapter up right away. I actually started typing this a little after I posted Chapter 4, but a lot of things got in the way-the computer I typed this up one going all wonky, life in general... Sorry! ^^'**

**Arg! I'm so frustrated! You know how some people can come up with these really cool looking cats that pelts aren't that realistic? I'm not one of those people. I can't make cats that stray very far from look real. In fact, I've only made one in my entire life, but it was a doodle on the back of a homework paper I had that I drew in my free time.**

**Can any of you guys help me? I know I asked of you a lot above, but my brain is becoming mush trying to come up with designs. It might not seem like much, but I'm trying to make a cat who'll be super special-to me, anyways. So... yeah.**

**I hope you all enjoyed! R&R!**


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